Clearing The Air

St. Paul's most anti-business councilmember Dave Thune........

.....openly admits his new attempt to strengthen the St. Paul smoking ban is a symbolic measure in hopes of forcing the state to implement a smoking ban.

In Thune's own words: "The combination of Hennepin County, Minneapolis and St. Paul gives us enough clout to at least force a discussion," he said.

Further, Thune promises his new ban will be implemented within 30 days of passage because, "we just want to do it." He's so smug and cavalier about eliminating jobs and businesses.....what a class act this pompous windbag is.

Sorry to rain on your egomaniacal plans Davey but here's a technical bit of information that I send to Minnesota House and Senate members on a nearly weekly basis.

A government Environmental Health Department here in Minnesota tested air quality in smoking bars / restaurants and found that secondhand smoke levels are 500 - 15 times safer than OSHA regulations. The California EPA tested air quality in its outdoor smoking areas and found that secondhand smoke levels are 50,000 - 100 times safer than OSHA regulations.

It appears that science and facts interfere with the Nicoderm company demand for smoking bans.......I am curious though, just how much do the RWJF, American Lung Association, American Cancer Society, American Heart Association, American Non-Smoker's Rights Foundation etc. contribute to re-election campaigns these days?

RWJF owns $5.4 billion of Nicoderm manufacturer Johnson & Johnson company stock.

posted by marcus aurelius @ 10:19 PM